Assessing Effects on Human HealthAssessing Effects on Human Health Meadowbank Gold ProjectMeadowbank Gold Project

Margaux BriscoMargaux Brisco

Nunavut Impact Review Board Final Hearings, Nunavut Impact Review Board Final Hearings, Baker Lake, NunavutBaker Lake, NunavutMarch 27 to 31, 2006March 27 to 31, 2006

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Nunavut Land Claim Agreement

• Requires a consideration of environmental and socio-economic effects

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Health Canada

• Expert information and knowledge about human health

• Promotes a holistic definition of human health:

-complete physical, mental and social well-being-not only the absence of disease or infirmity.

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Health Canada’s Review of the Meadowbank Gold Project

– Air Quality– Drinking Water Quality– Noise– Country Foods– Socio-economic– Occupational Health & Safety Plan

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Air Quality• Issues:

- Dust-construction-road traffic-mine operations

- Emissions from burning fuel-trucks-machinery-power plant

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Air Quality

• Health Canada’s initial comments have been addressed

• No indication of concern for human health

• We encourage monitoring

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Drinking Water Quality

• Issues: - Dike construction (construction phase)

- Discharge to lakes (operational phase)

- Reflooding of mine pits (decommissioning)

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Drinking Water Quality

• Predicted maximum values for Third Portage Lake are not expected to have any health effects.

• Monitoring will indicate if drinking water guidelines are exceeded.

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Noise

• Issues:

- Construction

- Mine operations

-blasting, crushing, drilling…

- Road traffic

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Noise

• Potential for sleep disturbance at workers’ quarters

• World Health Organization’s Community Noise Guidelines

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Noise

• Possibility of summer camps near the mine site

• Recommendation: noise at the camp sites should also be monitored

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Country Foods

• Fish

• Mammals

• Birds

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Country Foods

• Issues:

- Changes to bodies of water

-dikes

-reflooding

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Country Foods

• Monitoring of foods recommended -Arctic char

• A baseline should be collected to verify predictions

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Socio-Economics

• Issues: - Rotational Employment

- Housing

- Community Wellness

- Public Health & Safety

- Effects of Closure

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Socio-Economics

• Concerns have been addressed

• It is acknowledged that there is potential for some negative effects

• Mitigation and management are important

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Occupational Health & Safety Plan

• Health Canada recommends that a nurse be hired at the mine site.

-To meet workers’ needs

–Accidents–Infectious disease

-To prevent pressure on health services in Baker Lake

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References

• Canadian Handbook on Health Impact Assessmenthttp://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/eval/index_e.html• Determinants of Health website:www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ph-sp/phdd/determinants/index.html• Health Canada website:www.hc-sc.gc.ca• Environmental Health Assessment Services website:www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ehas